Cane-shifting apparatus



L. D. GREGG.

CANE SHIFTING APPARATUS. "PLICATIONIFILED FEB. 4. m9.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I- L. D. GREGG.

CANE SHIFTINQ APPARATUS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 4, 1919.

1,332,292. Patented Mal 2, 1920.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- @TATES PATENT @FFKQE.

LOUIS D. GREGG, 0F HACKENSACK, NEW JERSEY.

CAHE-SHIFTING ALPPARATUS.

Application filed February a, 1919.

T0 aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that 1, Louis D. GREGG, of Hackensack, New Jersey, (whose postoffice address is care The Gregg Co, Ltd, Hackensack, New Jersey,) have invented a new and useful Improvement in Cane-Shifting Apparatus, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invention is intended primarily for unloading, at a cane-mill, the lengths of sugar-cane brought in upon a car coming from the plantation, and simultaneously feeding the same onto an endless canecarrier which leads to the cane-crushers But it is obvious the invention is not limited to that particular manner of use, nor to that service, inasmuch as the apparatus can be used for unloading or shifting other articles.

In harvesting sugarcane, it is cut into lengths of (say) from three to six feet, and piled up on flatbotto1ned cars which then bring it to the mill. These lengths of sugarcane are not of uniform dian'ieter, nor perfectly straight, but are more or less crooked, so that they cannot be arranged in the car like matches in a match boX; and they are slippery and quite heavy (being filled with sap). So that, when thrown into the car, they constitute a tangled mass of heavy objects, not easy to handle. l-leretofore, when these laden cars reach the mill, manual labor has been largely relied on for unloadinnthem and feeding the canes onto the endless carrier aforesaid. This work of handling them is tiresome and exhausting, and the laborers demand high wages for the work; and it isfrequently diflicult, if not impossible, to obtain adequate labor. lherefore mechanical unloadingdevices also have been proposed, and to some extent have none into use, for feeding the cane from the car onto the carrier. But such machines have not proved entirely satisfactory. The canes are fed off from the top of the load, so that a mechanical device which is arranged to handle the upper portion of the load, would have to be lowered to act upon the lower portions. Heretofore this has been accomplished by mounting the unloadingapparatus pivotally, upon a pivot located off to one side, so that the apparatus can swing di Q onally downward to keep in conta t with the diminishing load. Such machines are quite complicated and cumbersome; and, moreover, this diagonal downswinging has been found objectionable, in that it tends to scatter the lengths of cane,

Specification or Letters 'iPatent.

Serial No. 274,915.

not feeding all the canes onto the carrier, but knocking some of them off on the opposite side of the car, whence of course they have to he collected and carried by hand. And, furthermore, when such machines are used, the canes have to be arranged lengthwise of the car, as far as feasible, although it would frequently be more convenient to pile them up more or less transversely of the car. The object of the present invention is to provide what may be termed an automatic shiftingnpparatus which unloads the car completely without scattering the canes, and is simultaneously feeding them at the proper rate upon the carrier.

To that end, the invention consists broadly of a framework which is movable straight up and down (in contradiction to swinging diagonally), and presenting beneath its level a horiZontally-arranged and horizontally propelled shifting mechanism (comprising a plurality of sprocket-systems carrying a series of teeth or hooks). In its preferred form, the invention also comprises so proportioning and arranging the parts that said horizontal shifting-mechanism extends beyond both sides of the car, so as to sweep across the full width of the car. Among the additional features, the invention further comprises preferred means for the following purposes, viz: for raising and lowering the apparatus bodily, in a straight-line perpendicular course; for maintaining the horizontal arrangement of said shiftingn'iechanism; for driving said shiftingmechanism; and for various adjustments of the apparatus. The several features and details of the invention will be hereinafter pointed out and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings, whi h set forth one concrete embodiment of all the features and details of one preferred specific form, as an illustration of the broad invention which might be embodied in various other species or forms. In these drawings:

Figure 1 an end elevation of one form the apparatus, viewed from the left of f2, and indicating the position of the parts after the car has been unloaded, the initial or inoperative position of the apparatus being indicated by dotted lines at the top of the figure; and

Fig. 2 is a side-elevation of the same, viewed from the right of Fig. 1.

Alongside the cane-mill is a railway track,

1-1, which runs in from the plantation or other location convenient for loading. One of the cars is shown in position on this track, alongside the mill, its flat bottom being rep resented at 2, and it sides (not shown) having been swung down or otherwise removed. The dotted line 3 indicates vaguely the con tour of a full load. At 4 (see Fig. 2) is shown the trench along which runs the usual endless carrier (not shown) that leads to the crusher. In utilizing the present invention, the lengths of cane may be loaded more or less lengthwise of the car, or indiscriminately (some lengthwise, some crosswise, and some at, various angles); and they may be thrown off (sidewise) onto a carrier running parallel with the car, so as to be fed lengthwise into the crushers; yet, to simplify the present disclosure, it may be assumed that the canes (so far as may be) have been arranged transversely of the car, and are to be thrown off (lengthwise) onto a carrier running' at right-angles to the car.

The new apparatus comprises a perpendicularly-reciprocable framework suspended so as to be normally free to descend by gravity; and said framework carries a depending system of horizontally-arranged and horizontally-propelled feeding-devices or cane-shifting teeth or hooks to constitute the shifting-mechanism. Suitable supports for said framework, suitable means for bodily moving it and its said shifting-mechanism straight up and down, and suitable operating-connections, etc, are supplied. As shown, these upports may comprise two or more inner uprights 5, and corresponding outer uprights 6, with suitable cross-braces and roof, constituting in effect a shed.

'As shown, the perpendicularly-movable framework aforesaid comprises vertical endframes, each shaped somewhat like an A lying on its right side, and made up of a horizontal or main member 7, and above it a diagonal member 8 secured thereto at their meeting outer ends, and also a cross-mentiber or brace 9 whose ends rigidly connect the intermediate portions of the other two members. Two (o more) of these frames are arranged parallel to one another in vertical planes extending transversely across the railway track, and are secured to one another by suitable longitudinal connections. Any suitable means may be provided whereby said framework will be suspended so as to be normally free to descend by gravity, and yet may be moved up against its own gravity or be allowed to descend under con-- trol. Said means may comprise any provision whereby said framework may be moved straight up and down (perpendicir larly) but, in the form shown, framework is suspended by ropes running over pulleys to a counterwei ht; and each A-frame has the free ends of its twomembers 7 and 8 provided with guides adapted to bear against and slidably engage the adjacent upright 5, which serve as vertical guideways. In the present instance, these upright guide-ways are indicated a H-beams; and each guide as consisting of two reverse right-angled members 10-1O (and 1111) adapted to receive between them, slidingly, one of the flanges of the adj acent upright. As shown, this end of the members 7 and 8 is provided with a series of bolt-holes, by which said guides can be adjusted lengthwise of said members, so as to shift the framework horizontally (toward or away fromthe uprights 5, to conform with the location of the railway track).

Near the top of said framework is journaled the horizontal driving-shaft 12, eX- tending parallel to the railway track, and receiving power as hereinafter described. On said shaft is fast the driving-sprocket 13 of each sprocket-system, two pairs of parallel sprocket-systems being shown in Fig. 2; and in the same vertical plane witheach wheel 3, and below it, are journaled, in horizontal alinement with one another, and near the lower level of the framework, its two other sprocket-wheels lt and 15, which may be idlers. Preferably, the distance between said lower wheels 14 and 15 is greater than the J width of the car. Around each group (13 1415) passes a suitable endless sprocketchain 16. One or the other of the two lower sprocket-wheels of each system, as outer wheel 15, is preferably mounted so as to be adjusted in and out, as for taking up slack of its sprocket-chain. This may be accomplished by journaling the common shaft of these outer wheels 15 in bearings that are slidable longitudinally upon the frame-member 7, in connection with a set-screw 15 which may be mounted upon the framememher 8. As here shown, a series of transverse rake-bars 17 is carried by one pair of these sprocket-systems, and a similar series 17 by the other pair. Each of these rake-bars in turn carries a number of outwardly-project ing teeth or hooks 18, which depend downward beneath the lower level of the over hanging framework, in position to engage the lengths of cane (or otherobjects) upon the car and eject the same or shift them onto the carrier. The teeth which depend from the lower section of these sprocket-systems are alined in the same horizontal zone, which preferably extends beyond both sides of the car-floor 2. Upon applying power to said driving-shaft 12, the plurality of chains 16 will be propelled, and the depending horizontal ejecting-mechanism will be actuated.

The framework is suspended by means of two ropes or cables, 19 and 19; each secured to it in approximately the line ofits center of gravity, and passing upward over a sheave or pulley 2O (20) suspended near the top of the shed, and thence off to one side and over another pulley 21 (21) to-a counterweight, to assist in raising the frame work, and to control the gradual lowering thereof by gravity.

This shifting-mechanism is propelled in any convenient manner, as by applying power to asprocket wheel 22, fast on said common driving-shaft '12. And power may be applied to said wheel 22 in any convenient manner; but in this particular instance, the following arrangement is employed. A link 23 is journaled upon said shaft 12; and to the outer end of said link is pivoted, by means of a pivot 242, an upper link 25; while the outer end of this upper link is. ournaled upon a power-shaft 26, which is mounted in stationary bearings, preferably near the top of the shed, and is driven from any convenient source of power. The pivot 2st (which unites the adjacent ends of the two links 23 and 25) is thus a. floating-pivot; and upon it journal two floating-wheels, as 27 and 28, that are fast together. By means of a suitable belt or sprocket-chain, power is transmitted from a wheel 29 fast on said power-shaft 26, to one of these two floatingv wheels; and a similar connection transmits power from its companion floating-wheel to the abovenamed sprocket-wheel 22 (carried upon the frame-work). It will be seen that, by means of this floating-connection, power is applied to propel the horizontal cane-- shifting mechanism during all the varioiiis levels of the latter.

Referring again to the means for raising and lowering the framework: As shown, said sheaves 20 and 20. are adiustable horizontally, to be brought substantially into the plane of the center of gravity of the framework. The counterweight is here shown as elongated trough 30 located between the two outer upright-s 66', and carrvinr; near each end an inverted sheave 31 (31); and each cable 19 19) after passing over the pulleys (20) and 21 (Qll, continues thence down and around said pulley 31 (31), and thence up au'aim to be secured to the shed, as at 32 (32). The trough 30 is loaded with weights, so as not quite to counterbalance the framework and its sprocket-systems: so that, by means of comparatively little additional power. the counterwe ght can be readily forced downward, and the framework, etc, therebv raised into the inoperative position (as indicated by the dotted lines at the top of Fig. 1), ready or receiving; the nex car-load of canes. Then, bv (oraduallv) withdrawina the power which had forced the counterweight down. gravity (oradually) lowers the framework until its rake-bars and hooks come into operative relation with the load to be ejected.

As here indicated, the power which acts to depress the counterweight and lift the apparatus may be hydraulic. In that case it may comprise a vertical cylinder 33, with its piston 34, and its two pipes 35 and 35' which respectively connect each end thereof with any suitable four-way valve (not shown), whereby they can admit water into either side of the piston while discharging the water from the other side thereof. The piston-rod extends through the lower head of the cylinder, and is secured to the counterweight-trough 30, as at 36; and, if desired, bulk-heads 37 and 37 can be secured within the trough, to protect the cylinder and its piston from injury by the weights placed in the end-compartments of the trough. By means of the aboienientioned valve, the rate of perpendicular movement of the framework and its direction of movement (up or down) can be absolutely controlled. Preferably, two vertical racks 38 (38) are secured alone the outer face of the outer uprights 6 (6) and a horizontal shaft 39 is iournaled upon the counterweight-trough 30, and provided at each end with a pinion d0 (40) in mesh with said racks. This duplicate racleandpinion engagement maintains the trough horizontally, throughout its upward and its downward travel, and thereby assures maintenance of the horizontal position of the framework and its ejecting-system throughout the various levels of the latter.

it will be understood that the lower tions of the several sprocket-chains 16, and their transverse rake-bars (when used) and the depending; teeth 18 carried thereby, with suitable means for propelling the same coustitute the ever-horizontal eiectin mechanism; and that preferably it extends beyond each side of the car.

One form of the invention, in all its parts, has thus been described in full detail. but only for the sake of clearness. It is obvious: that the invention is not limited to the pre cise construction or arrangement. or to the precise details set forth; since it may be embodied in other forms, various parts transposed or inverted, certain. parts modified, and some of the parts used to the exclusion. of other parts, without in any case departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention having been. thus fully set forth. what is laimed is:

l. The combination of a perpendi ular vreciprocable suspended framework normally free to descend by gravity. horizontallwau raneed shifting-mechanism. carried thereby and presented below the same, sus ensionmeans comprising a counter-weight and miides P0-ilCl3lI1$Z with vertical guide-wavs for bodily moving said framework and maintaining it in its rectilinear and perpen' dicular course, and means comprisinnr two pivoted links carrying a floating shaft for SEC- lOO

3. The combination of a perpendicularlyreciprocable suspended framework normally free to descend by gravity, horizontally-arranged shifting-mechanism carried thereby and presented below the same, means comprising co-acting guides and vertical guideways for bodily moving said framework in its rectilinear and perpendicular course while maintaining tlie horizontalism of said mechanism, and means comprising two pivoted links carrying a floating shaft for propelling said shifting mechanism hor1 zontally whatever the position of said framework.

4:. The combination of a perpendicularlyreciprocable suspended framework normally free to descend by gravity, horizontally-arranged shifting-mechanism carried thereby and presented below the same, means comprising c0-acting guides and vertical guideways for bodily movingsaid framework and maintaining it in its rectilinear and perpendicular course, and means for propelling said shifting-mechanism horizontally whatever the position of said framework.

5. The combination of a perpendicularlyreciprocable suspended framework normally free to des end by gravity, horizontally-arranged shifting-"nechanism carried thereby and presented below the same, means for bodily moving said framework in its rectilinear and perpendicular course, and'means comprising two pivoted links carry ng a floating shaft for propelling said shirt-ingmechanism horizontally whatever the position of said framework.

6-. The combination of a perpendicularlyreciprocable suspended framework normally free to descend by gravity, horizontally-arranged shifting-mechanism carried thereby and presented below the same, means for bodily moving said framework in its rectilinear and perpendicular course, means for propelling said sliiftingmechanism 1101- zontally whatever the position of said frame work.

7. In an apparatus of the character indicated, a perpendicularly-reciprocable suspended framework normally free to descend by gravity carrying horizontally-arranged shifting-mechanism, overhead sheaves, ropes carried thereby and connected at their ends to said framework and to a counterweight respectively, in combination with a horizontal shaft journaled on said counterweightand carrying a pinion at each end, and two stationary vertical racks with which said pinions r spectively co-act.

8. In an apparatus of the character indicated, a perpendicularly-reciprocable framework normally free to descend by gravity, a horizontally-arranged and horizontallypropelled shifting-mechanism presented thereby beneath its lower level, a suspensionsystem comprising sheaves and ropes and a counterweight for supporting said framework, and ahydraulic-control for actuating said counter-weight for raising and lowering said framework and mechanism.

9. In an apparatus of the character indicated, the combination of a perpendicularlyreciproeable framework normally free to descend by gravity, horizontally.- rranged shifting-mechanisin comprising a sprocketsystem carried by said frameworkand presenting depending teeth beneath its lower level, stationary driving-means for said sprocket-system, and a flexible driving-connection between said stationary means and said system.

10. In an apparatus of the character indicated, a framework suspended so as to be normally free to descend by gravity, a plurality of parallel sprocket-systems carried by said framework and presenting downwardly depending teeth arranged in substantially the same common horizontal zone, means to move said framework with its said sprocket-systems bodily straight up and down, and means to propel said teeth alon the same direction regardless of said up anc down bodily movement.

.11. In an apparatus of the chrracter described, the combination with a suspended and perpendicularly-recipr'ocable framework normally free to descend by gravity, of unloading-mechanism carried thereby and comprising a' sprocket-system presenting outwardly-projecting teeth, those teeth which are presented downwardly from the lower section of said system being alined in a common ever-horizontal zone which overlaps both sides of the receptacle such as a carloody from which objects are to be unloaded.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

LOUIS D. GREGG. 

